Terno’s second coming

FINALISTS of the anticipated terno-making competition and convention.

The terno — sometimes referred to as the traditional Filipiniana dress — is a timeless piece that continues to make waves in the fashion scene, as resilient as the Filipino.

For despite the evolution of clothing throughout the decades, the butterfly-sleeved frock has never been hotter than today. This year alone, it has bloomed on various red-carpet events, shown off to perfection by celebrities and fashion enthusiasts.

The sleeves, incorporated and revolutionized in the terno, highlight the heritage and culture of Filipinos, and designers are taking the time and effort to come up with innovative techniques for a fresh new terno look.

To help preserve the authentic Filipiniana dress, Bench and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) joined forces once again for Ternocon 2020, a terno-making convention and contest in the Philippines.

Bench founder Ben Chan said Ternocon brings people together to appreciate local as “it means we love ourselves, our identity, and who we are as a culture” — and that Ternocon is not a competition but rather a collaborative effort of designers to uplift the national dress.

FINALISTS of the anticipated terno-making competition and convention.

This is the second time Bench and CCP will hold the Ternocon after its successful run last 2018.

Fourteen designers were chosen as finalists in the much-awaited terno event on 26 January 2020 at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abalardo (CCP Main Theater). These are individuals who stepped up their game and are a mix of experienced, serious designers under the helm of esteemed fashion mentors Lesley Mobo, Philip Rodriguez and Ivarluski Aseron with Inno Sotto as the chief mentor.

The contestants are Hannah Adrias, Hanz Coquilla, Jean Dee, Abdul Dianalan, Jaggy Glarino, Krizia Jimenez, Windell Madis, C.J Martin, Dinnes Obusan, Xernan Orticio, June Pugat, Renz Reyes, Gavin Ruffy and Toping Zamora who come from different parts of the country.

“This time, we did it differently. Now we are focusing on designers who are serious in joining Ternocon because before there were a lot but there were also dropouts. So now, we want the designers to want to learn the terno. And there were a lot, like 52, but we chose 14,” CCP chairperson Margie Moran-Floirendo said.

Along with the designers’ works to be showcased at the Ternocon 2020 is the 10-piece collection of Marlon Tuanzon, the Ternocon 2018 grand winner, with Rodriguez, Mobo and Aseron.

There will be exhibitions on terno doll couture from Cholo Ayuyao and oil paintings of women in ternos by Rafael Del Casal.

“For me, terno is evolving and becoming modernized, which is fine. But I think the sleeve has to be more traditionalized and that (it) should not change,” she quipped.

The concept for each three-piece collection that will be presented at the Ternocon 2020 is up to the contestants; however, the essence of the terno should be manifested.

The Ternocon 2020 is expecting to reach a bigger audience this time around. “(The last Ternocon) was just confined to a few invitations because it was our first. But now, we felt like we have to open it more to the public, so we would be perhaps inviting the schools, the design schools, the fashion-making schools.” Margie said.

Margie also felt like Filipinos now are more inclined to supporting local. “Now, people are more nationalistic, more local, as a trend to buy local. And one of them is our national dress,” she concluded.